Impact of Drinking Water Source and Sanitation Facility on Malnutrition Prevalence in Children under Three: A Gender-Disaggregated Analysis Using PDHS 2017–18

Abstract

Objectives: The proposed research studied the determinants of male and female child malnutrition in Pakistan. More specifically, it observed the role of the sanitation facility and drinking water source as important determinants of malnutrition in a gender analysis. Methods: Novel data of 1010 children under three years of age from PDHS 2017–18 were used. A CIAF (Cumulative Index for Anthropometric Failure) was established to assess malnourishment in the children. Discrete-choice logistic methodology was applied in this empirical research to study the likelihood of malnourishment in children. Results: The logistic regression results depicted that factors such as a child belonging to a deprived area, the status of home wealth, and the education of the mother were common determinants of malnutrition in children. Factors such as a child having diarrhea (OR = 1.55, CI = 0.96–2.50) and the drinking water source (OR = 0.62, CI = 0.37–1.03) were separate prominent predictors of malnutrition in male children whereas the sanitation facility was the main determinant of malnutrition in female children (OR = 0.64, CI = 0.43–0.95). Conclusion: This study concludes that important links exist between the drinking water source and male child malnutrition and between sanitation facilities and female child malnutrition.